Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-01

A Physician's Notion Of What II Go
and What 10 had for q Man TO Dc

A Physician,s Notion Of What II Good
and What IL had for q Man 70 Do.
DR. g. Fleet spier in the Epoch.
am q strong believer in physical culture, but
physical culture is something entirely different
from outdoor sports as they are carried on at
present. Americans do not take enough exercise.
Many patients that come to the doctor need out
door exercise more than they do medicine. AS
some one has said, the dyspepsia from which
man suffers is oftentmes more in his legs than in
his stomach. The great dif1culty with our sports
Is that they develop one set Of muscles at the ex-
pense OF the others. liam who trains for
speciality Is trained only in the parts OF the body
brought chiefly into play in that particular sport
or recreation A tennis player trains in one way,
runner in another, while boatman goes through
an entirely different course from either. Each OF
these athletes is strong in one direction. but he
has neglected general muscular exercises for the
sake OF developing special locality. It will be
found that the man who is physically strong In
man, for instance, who intends to be runner will
so train as to develop the muscles OF his legs; but
he Will reduce the weight or his body above his
legs in order to carry less weight.
Pedestnan1sm Is wholesome when INDUCED In
for pleasure, but is bad In contests. The profes-
sional pedestrian finally becomes thoroughly
broken up; the stomach and general system
are exhausted by too much exertion.
Rowing is OF the best exercises II INDUCED In
moderately, but an oarsman can row in a contest
until entirely exhausted, and not know it until he
is taken from his boat paralyzed, so to speak.
pitcher So true is this that the base bali pitchers
arm as well as the tennis arm are recognized in
the medical profession as special diseases. The
exercise In base ball is very Violent and sooner
later causes OverStrain.
Tennis is violent exercise, and is liable to be
carried too far
service in general way, and Is only good on ac-
count OF the previous training necessary to follow
IL up. 1t carries its own remedy with it in the
natural giving out of the legs before the rest of
the body is exhausted.
Training should bring up the general physical
status to point that will enable 1t to endure its
utmost and with just little to spare for the push
OF the urgent moment. There should be just
enough strength left to make the finish
better than the Start-to break the record OF the
individual, so to speak, and leave him in better
physical condition than before. The sensi-
slble and physiological way for man to
thortty, to develop by special exercises the
parts of his body that are weak. II a man
physique he should give his whole attention to the
organs that are weak. 1t is surprising to me that
horseback exercise is not INDUCED In more than it
Is. Many young men spend enough money on their
vices or fOllies to enable them to buy and keep
horse. 1 would suggest that for those who cannot
the horses be used by members OF the clubs just
as boats are used by boating clubs. The expense
OF keeping the horses, under such conditions,
when divided up among members, would be small,
and the horseback exercise could be varied With
the more vigorous sports in which most young
men me now na In That the strength OF
do not know OF any outdoor exercise so suitable
for men as the sports OF the field. Hunting is
healthful and beneficial sport. There is just
enough excitement about it 10 make the exercise
you take beneficial. While you are walking you
are thinking about something OF interest; while
your body Is being exercised your brain gets
stimulus. Hunting is good for the well and good
for many who are sick. have known 1DyalidS,
sent TO the South with the advice that they should
go shooting, TO come back restored in health.
The man who combines hunting in the
Held with horseback riding, as is done
in the South, has the best kind Of out
door recreation. Field sports are for young
men; the older ones must be content with fishing
Or following the rabbit l recall the case or the
veteran writer for the sporting papers, Horace
Smith. While yet young man he was given up
by his physician TO die OF consumption. He was
IN business ana his doctor told him that he had
better stop work and devote the remainder OF his
life to his dog and gun. Mr.. Smith acted on the
suggestion, and am willing TO admit that posi-
Oily The doctor advised better than he knew, Tor
tliS same young man died recently at the age OF
eighty. In The sporting papers, TO which he was
constant and valuable contributor, he constantly
made public the fact that he attributed his re-
stored health to exercises taken in the field